Anti-Semitism is spreading increasingly in Europe. In the DW-Interview top speaks Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt about fear and hope of the European Jewish community, and warns of radicalisation of society.
Deutsche Welle: Mr. Goldschmidt, the presentation of her new book “To the community and to the world”, here in Berlin, falls in a time, in the reinforced front of a resurgence of anti-Semitism in Europe, will be warned. There are – not only in Germany – more religiously motivated crimes against Jews. They summon in their book, the future does not have to have the Jewish community in Europe is rather afraid of the future?
Pinchas Goldschmidt: Though I speak with Confidence of the future – and I do, as a Jew, as a believing Jew, as a Rabbi who always speaks optimistically of the future – you have to make sure to Worry about the recent changes in Europe. As well as recent television have shown pictures of, there are, unfortunately, a deterioration in the climate towards the Jewish community in Europe.
More and more Jewish families will respond and leave their homes or take this at least into consideration – see France, Sweden or the UK. These are still individual cases, or do you see a trend?
The number of Jews in Europe, in some countries dramatically. We are talking of a decrease of at least 15 percent of the Jewish population moved away from Europe. But there is also a small counter-trend: The Jewish community in Germany is the only one that is growing. This is gratifying, even if the overall climate speaks against Jews, a different language. The answer to your question lies with the governments. What are to do here in Europe the governments are ready to guarantee the security of the Jewish population?
With other words: you find that the policy is doing too little in Europe and not yet the right steps against the resurgent anti-Semitism has taken?
Many politicians say, a Europe without Jews would be unthinkable, it would be no Europe. But the security of Jewish institutions, synagogues, schools and community houses must be guaranteed by the respective governments. When we speak of measures against terrorism, such as we have in France, Belgium or Denmark seen – the governments are responsible. Therefore, the Position of the conference of rabbis of Europe, the governments must also assume this responsibility. As long as this does not happen, is unsettled the Jewish community here.
On the other hand, the anti-Semitism today is in the Social media widely used. The language of Social media is brutalized, she’s gotten a lot uglier. Here, laws must be passed, the political will must be there to this new, terrible Form of anti-Semitism to oppose with determination.
Can to reduce hatred of Jews with fences and a reinforced police presence in front of Jewish institutions, with increased monitoring of Social media, or even fight?
Not only that, the is an aspect. Also important is the education, especially of the younger Europeans, the new immigrant Europeans, but the European values. Here are the education and Integration plays a major role.
They believe that the growing anti-Jewish trend in Europe is the result of an imported anti-Semitism?
Not only. Today when we speak of anti-Semitism, then he is on the one hand, in fact, from Islamic radicalism, which has claimed many victims in the last 15 years. On the other hand, there is the radical right-wing “old” anti-Semitism, as you may call him. It is not only in Europe, but also in the USA, and we had to take him a few weeks ago with the terrible attack on the synagogue in Pittsburgh to experience. I do not believe that the danger posed by right-wing radicals, is lower than that posed by Islamist terrorists.
Our focus is on Russia. They live for several decades and, since 1993, chief Rabbi of Moscow. How is the Jewish community?
Jews in Russia are welcome. Today approximately half a million Jews live safely in Russia. In Moscow, Jewish life is at a high level, for example, in many facilities, and about 30 synagogues. When I came to the end of the 1980s to Moscow, there were only two synagogues!
The Jewish community in Russia is growing through the immigration of Jews from the former Soviet republics, from Central Asia.
But it is also so that the Jews leaving Russia. The but in relatively low Numbers, considering that in the 1990s, around two million Jews have apart a case, the end of Soviet Union left.
And why Jews leave Russia?
It is primarily the economic Situation in Russia, the decline of the ruble, the sanctions and the growing political Isolation of Moscow, the move of Jews to Leave the country today.
And this Trend gives us at the same time. It is also grow within the Russian society, xenophobic tendencies. What does this mean for our Jewish community, we talk more.
Book presentation in Berlin: chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt (li.) the President of the Bundestag Wolfgang Schäuble (re.) and Moderator Michael striker
In Eastern and South – Eastern Europe – we take the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary or Romania – blooming Jewish life, Jewish culture, despite the massive emigration after the Second world war. There, too, anti-Jewish Statements in politics and society to reproduce. How do you see this development?
When we speak of Eastern Europe, there was hardly anywhere a dealing with the past, as we know it from Germany, neither after the Second world war, after the collapse of communism. History is, unfortunately, often disappears, and the question of responsibility for the Holocaust often suppresses. But there is again a thriving Jewish communities. And Yes, there are always political campaigns with anti-Semitic features.
Because we are talking about Eastern Europe: I remember when I was still sent in the time of communism as a young Rabbi from Israel, the chief Rabbi of Israel to Romania. I visited at the time, the largest rabbinical Eminence in Eastern Europe, Moses Rosen, to learn how you can work as a Rabbi in a Communist country under a dictator like Ceausescu. For me this was a lesson for the whole life. Historically, Rabbi Rosen was the only Eastern European Jewish clergy, was able to retain his Church, in spite of Emigration and dictatorship actively.
We come back to the present. How do you see the opportunities of inter-religious Dialogue in view of the growing polarization and the populist discourse in the society?
The dialogue is absolutely essential, not only on a religious level between the religions of the world, between Muslims, Jews and Christians, but also with liberals, atheists and non-religious people. Today, the values on which Europe after the 2. World war II was built up, strengthened in question. Europe to remain as a civilization, as a Union of different peoples and States must be led to this dialogue.
Religions are often mentioned in the context of violence. Nevertheless, a large peace of potential. How can this potential to better advantage?
Religion can be violent, Religion can also bring peace. It is always the question of what is depends on the Religion. We take only the last century, the 20. Century – I call it the secular century. There were two great secular movements: the national socialism and communism.
Our century has begun with the attack on the USA by Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda. I believe that Religion is re-entering the world of politics. The important religious leaders of the world who believe in a common future, must all work, to the inter-religious peace and the peace of the world.
Soon Channuka festival begins, the Jewish light. Do you have a special message to the European Jews and Non-Jews?
Channuka we celebrate as the victory of light over darkness. It only takes a little light to push the darkness back. If every person, regardless of religious or political opinion, something does, in order to allow in this world, more peace, more love, then that corresponds to the icon of Channuka: the many little lights can change the whole world.
Pinchas Goldschmidt is a native of Swiss, the top Rabbi of Moscow, and since 2011 President of the European rabbis conference. It is open to freedom of religion and inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue with Muslims and Christians, in order to combat a growing radicalization in the society.